A "healthy and fit" grandmother who was chairman of a South Derbyshire running group has died suddenly from a suspected heart attack, aged 62.

Tributes have poured in for mother of two Inge Moore, from Hartshorne, near Swadlincote, whose death on January 15 has left family and friends heartbroken.

Inge was known as a caring and proud family woman and a "feisty and competitive" runner, whose love for the sport saw her chair the South Derbyshire Road Runners in recent years.

Husband Malcolm, 65, said: "She was just such a loving, caring mother, grandmother and wife. We met in Germany when she was 18 and we have been together ever since. In 44 years we never actually had a falling-out and we only ever spent a couple of dozen nights apart when Inge was in hospital recovering from cancer.

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"Inge was such a giving person and she never wanted anything for herself. Her gift in life was to give and to share and she doted on her family, always happiest when she was with her grandchildren.

"We have had some absolutely wonderful years which is reassuring and comforting."

Malcolm said he was still reeling from Inge’s death after describing his wife as "such a fit person who lived her life the way it should be lived."

Inge Moore was a keen runner

He said: "She has been chairman at the running club for the last three years and was treasurer before that and she was very healthy and fit. It seemed she suffered a big heart attack but we are in a bit of limbo now waiting for an autopsy to establish the cause of death. I just can’t believe it."

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Inge, who was also a grandmother to five, also showed her caring nature in her role as a private languages tutor.

Born in Germany, she had a keen interest in languages and "loved teaching youngsters and working with families."

Malcolm said he had received many condolences from families of the children she helped, while members of the running community were also "deeply saddened" by Inge’s death.

Chris Mason, of the road runners group, told the Burton Mail: "Inge was a very hard-working, well-respected chairman and the news was even more of a shock because club members were out in force on the Saturday night for their annual presentation evening with Inge, managing the event and handing out most of the prizes.

"She was also present at a Derby Runner XC event at Anslow on the Sunday morning supporting the Club’s 17-strong contingent of runners, which included husband Malcolm.

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"The pair first joined the Road Runners more than 10 years ago and Inge made her mark as a feisty, very competitive runner. However, she was constantly having to balance her running against the side effects of medication she had to take to counteract a long-standing serious health problem.

"While running became more difficult she never gave up and many people will have memories of Inge battling through the mud at local cross-country events.

Inge was a well-loved mother and grandmother

"She quickly took a really active role in the running of the club and it wasn’t long before she was serving on the club committee as treasurer and then, in recent years, as club chairman, after succeeding her husband Malcolm in that role.

"During this time, along with others, she oversaw the club’s highest growth in membership since the running boom of the early 1980s. She was approachable, welcoming, encouraging and very pragmatic in steering the club through this period of high growth.

"People will have poignant memories of Inge on club nights being the first to arrive at the Green Bank Leisure Centre, to welcome new members, but her involvement didn’t end with the administrative side. She was a qualified and active run leader who was regularly delighted at the progress members of her group were making.

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"On Wednesday evening 90 of the club’s members, after a minute’s silence, celebrated Inge’s life by doing, what we love doing, running or walking together over a well-known winter route.

"She will be badly missed by the club and the wider running community and our thoughts are very much with the family at this difficult and sad time."

Malcolm thanked wellwishers for their support.

He said: "As a family we are very appreciative of all the warmth we have received from the running fraternity in particular. It has been quite overwhelming and reassuring that the love is out there. We are getting through this with their help and support. It is a great comfort."

Funeral arrangements will be announced once the autopsy has been completed.